Tuesday, 14 December 2010

We have announced an exciting new opportunity for groups that already are, or would like to, run local food growing networks. Read on to find out more.
Applications from suitable organisations are invited, for a chance to receive up to £1000 per borough towards costs for being a Capital Growth Local Lead organisation. We envisage that this may fit with current activities for a number of organisations and enhance the activities you are able to deliver, or for others it may provide the opportunity to launch a network.
In particular we are encouraging community-based organisations to apply and would expect suitable organisations to already have links within their local area or to have started to build relations with local groups.
Please visit the website for more information, guidance notes and to download the application form. Deadline for submission is Friday14th January but we will be inviting further applications later in the year for boroughs where suitable organisations have not been identified.

Wednesday, 8 December 2010

Calling all Permaculturalists, Transitioners & Visionaries of a sustainable future.

London Permaculture Festival 2011- are looking for representatives from London's Transition initiatives and other London green groups to join the steering group, which will plan and commission next year's event. We're starting early, so we can really make the festival as dynamic and inclusive as possible. Come along to the meeting to offer your expertise & support, and please let others know who may be interested.Last year’s event was a roaring success, attracting a capacity house of over 900 people. Next year promises to be even better.Be a part of building a positive, sustainable vision for London.Everyone welcome.Our first meeting is on Tuesday, 14th December at 7-9pm(or come at 6pm and bring some food to share).Cecil Sharp House,2 Regents Park RdLondonNW1 7AY

Thursday, 25 November 2010

Sat 20 Nov 2010We enjoyed a foraging ramble in Crouch End Open Spaces, (even found a bay tree), then went back for a tasting session, washed down with home-grown fennel tea.Very satisfying eating our freshly picked salad in late November... let's see how we do in December!www.UrbanHarvest.org.uk

Wednesday, 24 November 2010

There’s a farm called Misery, but of that we’ll have none
Because we know of one
That’s always lots of fun (Ha ha!)
And this one’s name is Jollity; believe me, folks, it’s great
For everything sings out to us as we go through the gate

All the little pigs, they grunt and howl etc, etc

Yes indeed, Church Farm is a jolly farm. If you visit, you will meet the farm you once knew from childhood stories and games. Animals graze on fields planted with a well tried mix of grasses and flowers, creating a rich mosaic of colour and textures. Glancing through a hedge to the field next door, the contrast is striking: all there is to see is the uniform expanse of an industrial monoculture.

The farm covers 175 acres which includes 30 acres of woods, 10 acres of orchard, and 2 acres of nesting grounds. There are around 150 sheep, cows and pigs, and the farm, which is also a family business, prides itself on its long tradition of rearing rare breeds. The number of poulty is in the thousands, but here again the hens and turkeys are allowed to range freely in designated places such as the orchard. One of the delights of the farm is the piglets, who can be seen playing and scrapping with each other in the feeding area. As the visitors leave, the hope is that they will have been reminded of the very real connection between land and food.

In the meantime, there is a farm called Misery. It hasn't been built yet but the planning permission for Nocton 'Mega Dairy' in Lincolnshire was passed yesterday, with the concession that they will have 3,770 cows instead of the 8,100 of the original proposal. These cows will rarely see a blade of grass. The intensive system leaves them open to many health problems, including lameness, mastitis and bacterial infections.They will be expected to produce 10,000 or more litres of milk each per year. In energy terms, that is the same as a human being running a half marathon every day for ten months of the year.

Compassion in World Farming are running a campaign to raise awareness of this first attempt at industrial farming and you can contact them on the address below. But you can also choose to source your food from a place whose aim is to 'treat the land, wildlife and animals, as they should be treated, and grow great food'.

You can find out more about the Church Farm and Crouch End box scheme by popping into the Haberdashery, Middle Lane on Thursday between 5.30 and 7pm.

Tuesday, 23 November 2010

You may have read over the weekend about Eric Cantona's latest interview in which he called for people to withdraw their cash from their banks en mass. The Guardian reported it here. The film of the interview has become a You Tube hit and spawned a campaign for a protest withdrawal.

Some commentators have pointed out that such a protest would have little affect because of the limited funds high street banks actually carry and that it would have no impact on the investment banks that were instrumental in causing the current crisis. Fair point, but there is a clear piece of direct action you can take if you are disgruntled with you bank, assuming of course you bank with one of the 'big' names. Switch you account to an ethical based bank operating on a mutual or cooperative basis, or a local Credit Union. This is a clear message you can send out to support the move toward a responsible and fair financial system.

Supporting a Credit Union is particularly beneficial as it is their aim to bring affordable credit facilities to the poorer members of our communities who are often denied access to conventional banking and are forced into the hands of loan sharks and other forms of highly undesirable money lending outfits. There is a move to establish a Credit Union in Haringey and you can pledge your support for it here.

So go on strike a blow for fair banking, support your local Credit Union and put your money where your mouth is!

Monday, 25 October 2010

Neighbourhood's officer Leyla Laksari is one of four Londoners shortlisted for this year's Pride of Britain awards.

She will be featured in ITV's London Tonight on Monday 25 October, 6pm, where a short film will showcase her achievements in developing the Living Under One Sun (LUOS) healthy living project in Haringey.

Leyla works within the Northumberland Park and White Hart Lane Neighbourhood Management Service and has 28 years as a parent, school governor, teacher, community activist and project officer behind her.

Northumberland Park is one of the most deprived areas in the country with Neighbourhood teams tasked with helping often disaffected groups access services and engage with community activities.

Leyla describes her work as "actionism" and revels in the challenge her job brings.

The Living under One Sun (LUOS) healthy living project is one of Leyla's most impressive achievements.

It was set up to help reduce crime and vandalism at the local adventure playground, bringing mothers and local women of different ethnicities to meet, cook and share stories of their lives.

Soon this developed into a platform for accessing services, training community leaders and founding more community projects.

LUOS embraces the core values of Haringey's Sustainable Community Strategy which puts communities right at the heart of change, shaping and driving developments.

Saturday, 23 October 2010

With the release of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review the media is full of talks of cuts and speculation on how different social groups or individuals will be affected. Appropriately there is concern expressed across the media on how the poorer sections of society and particularly those on welfare benefits will fare as a result of these public spending reductions. However what I want to consider is not what these cuts will mean to your economic circumstances but how they will affect your wellbeing.

Friday, 22 October 2010

Following the success of the screening of “The Age of Stupid” last December we are pleased to announce we will be showing two Environmental Films this year, one in November and one in December. We would welcome representation from Sustainable Haringey at these events and if you could be kind enough to forward to your members or any other interested parties details of the event it would be appreciated. These films will be shown at the Marcus Garvey Library and admission is free, refreshments will be served, details are as follows.

Thursday 11th November @ 7pm

Manufactured Landscapes directed by Jennifer Baichwal

In the 21st century, industrial expansion has taken a devastating toll on the environment. From China's mountains of computer waste to the overcrowded skylines of Shanghai, commercial development has left an indelible mark on the landscape. Jennifer Baichwal's touching film draws on the work of renowned photographer Edward Burtynsky to illustrate her point. MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES treads similar ground to eco-docs AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH and THE 11TH HOUR, yet still manages to inform and inspire.

Thursday 9th December @ 7pm

‘A Crude Awakening’ directed by Basil Gelpke

A Crude Awakening is the kind of film that, if it doesn't give you at least a nightmare or two, then it's hard to imagine what exactly would frighten you. A scarifying work that's less a documentary than an extended debate or lecture (like An Inconvenient Truth without the slideshow and studio audience), the film tries to answer a question that seems to have mostly fallen by the wayside in much of the recent discussion about the environment and energy policy. It's a two-part question, actually: When is the oil going to run out, and what's going to happen when it does?

Thursday, 21 October 2010

Crouch End's second annual Apple Day on 16 October 2010 attracted over 400
people. They came to drink apple juice, fresh from the press, and to
taste over a dozen different varieties of English apples and
pears. Children were encouraged to press their own juice, take part
in the Longest Peel Competition and make vegetable monsters, which could later
be turned into nutritious soup.

Wednesday, 20 October 2010

>A reminder about the local anti-cuts Budget-Day lunchtime demonstration at the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CoHENEL), Tottenham High Rd at 1pm (organised by the teachers union branch there) - all welcome.

Then both will march to 10 Downing Street for another rally at 6pm, where speakers include Tony Benn, Caroline Lucas MP, Rev Jesse Jackson, Jeremy Dear (NUJ) and Dot Gibson (National Pensioners Convention)

Over 200 people took to the streets of Haringey to protest against proposed cuts to public services. Local residents and workers responded to a call by Haringey Alliance for Public Services, and marched to the Civic Centre in Wood Green.

At the rally, on Monday 18th October, protestors called on Haringey councillors to demand adequate government funding, reject privatisation, and oppose and refuse to implement cuts – or resign.

Presentations, workshops to join in, and displays to take in and enjoy including:

Fashion show of second hand clothesChildren’s workshop on recycled art + children’s clothes swap shopWood works wonders – using recycled woodWhat does and doesn’t go into the green box?“How to build a pirate ship from plastic milk bottle” workshopInteractive skill share wallCouncil recycling informationFood waste and home compostingWhat is a Material Resource Facility?“Cut waste, cut carbon and create jobs” – Friends of the EarthChildren’s workshop on making drumsKnitting with “pharn” (yarn made from plastic bags)And Techie stuff

Local residents and workers to march to Full Council session, calling on Haringey Councillors to demand adequate government funding, reject privatisation, and oppose and refuse to implement cuts.

- Assembling 5.30pm at Wood Green Library. Marching to Civic Centre, N22 for a rally there at 6.30pm.

A recently formed alliance is urging everyone who lives or works in Haringey to join together in resisting central government cuts to local services. The Government will be announcing its controversial National Budget on October 20th. The Haringey Alliance for Public Services (HAPS) is calling on local people to show their opposition to proposed cuts by joining a march from Wood Green Library (5.30pm) to a rally outside Wood Green Civic Centre (6.30pm) on Monday 18th October where the Council will be holding a full meeting of all the borough's Councillors.

Over 120 anti-cuts protestors braved a very wet autumn evening on September 14th to show their opposition before the last Council Cabinet meeting. HAPS are hoping for a good turnout again on Monday 18th. Community groups and trade union branches are being encouraged to bring their banners and to speak at the rally about the services they provide and use.

Friday, 15 October 2010

Our take up of food, land, natural minerals and animals has doubled in under 50 years, says new research.

Britain came 31st in a list of countries based on their ‘ecological footprint’ – the amount of land and sea each person needs to provide the food, clothes and other products they consume.

The country has ‘improved’ from having the 15th biggest footprint two years ago – but this is down to an increase in other countries’ impact rather than a reduction in Britain.

Wildlife in tropical countries is also under huge pressure, with populations of species falling by 60 per cent in three decades, the report by WWF, the Zoological Society of London and the Global Footprint Network said.

Our climate system is rapidly sliding into crisis, as oil companies destroy people's lives and the environment to keep sucking up their profits. Oil saturates every aspect of our lives. Oil profits lubricate the financial markets and its sponsorship clings like a bad smell to our cultural institutions. It flows through pipelines to the petrol stations, airports and factories of our cities.

The failure of the UN COP15 process showed us – if there was ever any doubt – that government and industry can’t tackle climate change. It’s up to us. It’s time to up the ante.

As a movement, our actions against coal and aviation have made a real difference. Now oil’s time is up. Together, on October 16, let's give the oil industry a Crude Awakening.

Meet in central London [See how and where, below]. Be ready to move, to HOLD A SPACE and to leave that space in a way that shows we've been there.

So this one is going to be short and sweet. Here's your final checklist.

1. Sign up to your bloc. Will it be Dirty Money, Building Bloc or BodyBloc? The choice is yours - but do it now, because sign ups close atmidnight on Friday night. If you don't have a phone, not to worry, justturn up on the day - there will be plenty of people around you receivingtexts and word of mouth will do the trick.http://www.crudeawakening.org.uk/node/12

2. Pack your bag. Bring a zone 1-2 travelcard or Oyster card (unregisteredor not, your call). Tuck a tenner into your wallet and you can stay awayfrom overpriced tourist food. If we get held up somewhere for a bit, itmight also be sensible to have your own food and water with you. Don'tbring anything that could be construed as a weapon or that won't easilyfit on the tube.

3. What to wear. The forecast is looking good, but this is London inOctober: prepare for whatever the weather might throw at us with warmclothes and waterproofs. The Space Hijackers will be running a mobile'climate laundry', so you could bring old jackets, jumpers, etc. to swapfor the latest in activist chic... which could also come in handy forstaying low-profile.

4. Stay in touch. Bring your phone to receive text alerts (of course!). Ifyou've got a fancy phone that can tweet and take photos, follow us ontwitter @crudeawake and use the hashtag #crudeawake in your tweets. Youcan also email photos to us at crudeawakening2010@gmail.com and we'llupload them to the online photo gallery. Although as always, be carefulwhen taking photos and video of people taking direct action, and make sureany footage that goes public won't get anyone in trouble later on.

6. Stick together. Bring a friend! Your flatmate, your sister, yourwork-mate... you never know who might be up for it. Pair up with your'buddy' (or find one on the day) and agree to watch out for each otherthroughout the day. Keep close to your buddy and/or your affinity group,and stay in your bloc as we move through London.

7. Keep calm and carry on. We'll be on the streets and on tubes surroundedby members of the public. Let's act purposefully - because we are here fora reason. Things may get chaotic, but if we keep calm, act strategically,and work together to overcome whatever barriers may stand in our way,we'll get to our destinations, and - fingers crossed - pull off anincredibly effective and inspiring Crude Awakening.

8. Get inspired. Talk to your friends. Check out the website for thoughtson why we're doing this, and some great videos that give you some how-totips. Make something beautiful to bring along. Get ready to make yourmark.

Saturday, 9 October 2010

'It’s moving into the cloud. “That’s a win-win economically for Microsoft and our customers,” Spataro said. “It’s a new way to abstract away the complexity of keeping SharePoint up and running. We want to lead the drive into the cloud.”'

We all cut our carbon by 10% starting this year. You, me, your work, your school, the council, the church, the chip shop. Everyone.In our homes, in our workplaces, and in our hospitals, our galleries and football clubs and universities, we’ll be helping each other take the first steps towards a better future.

Ten things you can do to save yourself money (and lower your carbon use)1. Find your house thermostat and turn it down2. Draught proof your windows3. Look in your loft – is the insulation sufficient?4. Line your curtains and close them at dusk5. Don’t leave appliances on standby6. Dry clothes outside not in the tumbledrier7. Use tap water not bottled water8. Change to low energy light bulbs9. Have at least one meat free day a week10. Walk or cycle part of your journey to work

Tuesday, 28 September 2010

Reviewed and described here, this ought to be of interest to people interested in sustainability -- even if some of it is a bit heavy with internet jargon. A lot of it is obvious when you think about it - why buy tools that you only plan to use once in a while when you can share them with your neighbours? New media and social networks does make this easier, though if we lived in more community-minded neighbourhoods then a noticeboard and a hanging pencil would probably work as well.

There are lots of initiatives like this starting at the moment, some of which seem to have a presence in Haringey - I've joined a local Streetbank group. Ecomodo seems to do the same thing, and I wish someone would do a comparison of the two. Justfortheloveofit.org proclaims itself the world's fastest-growing alternative economy - again, a bit of a delusion of grandeur, but worth a look.

Ultimately, green 'unconsumerism' is just the flip side of green consumerism - finding ways not to buy stuff is good, but it doesn't lead to an alternative economic system that provides us with livelihoods, pensions, and a properly funded welfare state, as well as the stuff that we want. For that we really would need to re-engineer the economy from top to bottom.

Wednesday, 15 September 2010

The Urban Harvest press had an outing to St Ann's hospital in the morning, then the Margaret McMillan Nursery School in the afternoon - both have fabulous gardens full of fruit, and we made delicious apple and pear juice.

Wednesday, 21 July 2010

It's easy to find stuff about Haringey Council's aspirations to be the 'greenest borough', and even to find the specifics about its plans and targets to reduce its own emissions.

It's much harder to find out specific information about what the baseline is for these reduction targets. I searched for ages, to no avail. Now, a cynical person might think that baseline was being kept from us, so that the council can claim progress secure in the knowledge that no-one will be in a position to dispute this.

For once, the cynical person would be wrong. After some courteous correspondence with Councillor Joe Goldberg, I was provided with the specific data that I wanted. In fact, the baseline and the progress against it show the Council in rather a good light. In 2006-7, which is the baseline year, Haringey Council's NI 185 emissions - that is emissions from its own operations - were 44,790 tonnes. For real emissions anoraks, this is a 'weather corrected' figure. In 2007-8 they were 44,616 tonnes, a fall of 0.39%, but in 2008-9 they were 42,631 tonnes - a reduction of 4.82%. The comparable figure for 2009-10 is 41,894 - 6.47% below the baseline.

It would be nice to get some more detail about where the emissions are coming from, and where the gains were being made - but at least there are real reductions being delivered.

So why doesn't Haringey make more fuss about its genuine progress? In the 1980s the GLC had a big signboard outside County Hall, showing the number of people unemployed in London. Why doesn't Haringey have an emissions board outside the Civic Centre?

Tuesday, 20 July 2010

A documentary about how a derelict piece of land in an economically deprived part of North London has, with minimal funding, been transformed into a vibrant, productive community allotment using recycled and sustainable materials. At last, now available on YouTube - in two parts.

Friday, 9 July 2010

Monday 12th July, planning committee at Civic Centre, 7pm, about the big Hornsey Town Hall regeneration. Transition will object to plans for Town Hall Square, and no doubt there will be other protests.

Monday, 5 July 2010

Exactly a year after they were told their allotments would be sold as building land, a group of north London campaigners have clinched a deal which ensures the site will stay green forever.

The Save Fortis Green Allotments campaign gathered thousands of signatures for a petition, won backing from celebrities such as Kate Humble and Monty Don, and mobilised all-party political support in the effort to save the field in Muswell Hill where locals have grown their veg for nearly a century.

Sunday, 4 July 2010

PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME RECORD the song whose lyrics are below. The melody is also strong. Perhaps it could not only spread our messge but also earn money for campaigns, to which I would donate any money it might earn. Please contact me if you would like to help, OR FORWARD THIS EMAIL to anyone you know who might be able to help. A simple recording would be enough to disseminate the song widely. You never know, maybe someone famous would record it and it could be politically influential. I need someone who can do the accompaniment, and a good singer.
Also any feedback on the lyrics would be welcome, as they could probably be improved. I'll probably come up with another verse or two soon; what is below is just the first version.
Thank you
Tim Root

email tim@timroot.net
"How can you say you love me?"
My daughter said to me.
"You're ignoring the climate crisis,
And living carelessly,
Polluting endlessly.
You know that our future's threatened,
The next eight years will tell
If we can live like you did,
Or suffer utter hell,
The earth left a barren shell.
Floods and droughts come more and more,
Don't trash the world; it isn't yours;
Please invest in wind and sun,
Don't screw my life - it's just begun!
Don't buy from the bad polluters
Like Exxon and BP.
Show them they cannot profit
By trashing land and sea,
We need clean energy.
We can afford survival,
Just think and you will see.
Just to drive and fly less often,
Please do these things for me
And all humanity.
_______________________________________________
Activists mailing list

Saturday, 3 July 2010

Lets speak out and defend our vital local community and public services!Say NO to CUTS- unnecessary, unfair and unacceptable

Good public and community services, and a universal welfare system, are central to what's good about Haringey and our lives.

We all need decent health care, schools and nurseries, community centres, well-run parks and libraries, social services, affordable housing, safe and attractive neighbourhoods, jobs with good pay and conditions, and an adequate and reliable income for unwaged people to live on. To achieve this, the resources needed must be ensured.

But the Government is threatening massive cuts to local Council services, to the NHS, to public sector jobs, to Haringey's voluntary and community sector, and to local people's benefits. We don't have to accept this!

Lets support each other and resist all cuts

If not countered, these cuts will be devasting:

- for all Haringey's local communities
- for those working in the local public sector and other jobs
- for many vital public, voluntary and community projects, services and facilities
- for the most vulnerable in our society including those reliant on housing and incapacity benefits.

What can we do together?

This is a wealthy country, but the Government has chosen to take away £billions of public funds from essential public services in order to prop up greedy and irresponsible banks. Our public services are entitled to adequate resources and improvements, not threats of cuts, closure or privatisation.

Recently the Government backed down after 5,000 people marched to save the Whittington Hospital and its casualty department. Many others have started to object and protest about proposed cuts affecting their services and jobs. Alliances and campaigns are springing into action all over the country. Doing nothing is not an option! Together we can reverse the cuts programme if we take action and if we say NO.

We call on all Haringey's residents, community groups, workers, and trades unions to link together and stand up for what's right.

Lets speak out, support each other and resist all cuts

The Haringey Alliance for Public Services (HAPS) has been set up in the last few weeks. Reps of the following borough-wide organisations attended the founding meetings - Haringey Friends of Parks Forum, Haringey Forum for Older People, Haringey Federation of Residents Associations, Haringey UNISON, Haringey Health UNISON, Haringey Trades Union Council, Haringey Solidarity Group, Haringey Socialist Workers Party, and the Sustainable Haringey network. HAPS is a network open to all those living, working or based in Haringey. We support opposition to the running down, closure or privatisation of any local public services, and support campaigning for improvements. We promote communication and co-ordination, mutual aid and solidarity among all those affected, and a wide range of tactics and initiatives towards achieving the aims.

2. Spring Gathering: Wolves Lane was a nice venue for this event, although the meeting was not that well attended. ACTION: Dave to finish notes for this.

3. Brief reports of events:

- Green on the Screen showed films on soils and permaculture 5th and 12th May. Next film will be 2 June. - Pamela went to the London low carbon communities meeting held on Monday 17 May, and an Eco-Teams training day on 24th April.

4. Local Groups news:

Priory Park Fun Run on 16 May SH had a stall with Transition Crouch End. First outing for SH gazebo (which is now with Gillian and Richard).SusTottenham is focussing on the skills share day 20 June. Planning meetings Thursdays, Tottenham Chances.Transition Finsbury Park is pushing ahead with leasing land at Finsbury Park for a tree nursery. Meeting held in Finsbury Park café 8th MayWard’s Corner coalition Six members went to a symposium on using new technologies for mapping spaces (Open Sailing).

5. SH Working group reports.

Growing in Haringey Jo is putting together an events calendar. Food Group and Transition Crouch End in response to Hornsey Town Hall plans (current display in Hornsey library) proposing radical "meanwhile" use of surrounding land for temporary growing sites, sustainable planting by residents and trial of weekly Saturday real farmers' market in the forecourt, as INTERIM use. A weekly Food Group get together is proposed on Fridays in Jai Krishna, Turnpike Lane.Waste Group visit to EcoPark on 21 April.Council liaison meeting held 17 May - report form Quentin.

6. Events coming up:

19 May London food Link meeting and Transition Highbury Green Drinks Pamela going.May 21 FoE Food campaign launch Railway Fields, 7.30pm May 22nd- compost give away in Finsbury Park. - Growing in Haringey meeting, Brunel Walk 2pm. - Ally Pally open day leaflets for Muswell Hill Sustainability Group stall ACTION Pamela. 27th May Public services coordination meeting at the Big Green bookshop.June Sustainability Month - events leaflet almost ready for printing. Final details to Dave.12 June Green Fair 12 to 5pm Duckett’s Common. Planning meeting on 20 May - who attending? ACTION: Anna to do volunteer rota. Jo to book three stalls next to each other. Pamela to get publicity material from groups (with Wendy) and set up SH stall. Wendy to get Anna added to activists e-mail list.13 June visit to Church Farm, Stevenage (associated with Farming Renaissance)19 June still waiting to hear if SH has a stall at Tottenham Festival (booking sent).Summer Gathering: Sunday 25th July at Railway Fields. To be coordinated by Anna and the Food Group. It was suggested that Julie Brown from Growing Communities might be invited to speak.

Monday, 24 May 2010

June is Haringey Sustainability Month- packed with exciting, informative, relevant, useful, empowering and fun-tastic green community activities throughout all corners of the borough!

This year's annual Haringey Sustainability Month, co-ordinated by the Sustainable Haringey network, promises to be the most extensive programme of local green events and widespread publicity ever held in the borough. Throughout the whole month, local residents and community groups, environmental organisations and the Council have organised dozens of events in all corners of Haringey including film shows, festivals, nature walks and talks, practical seminars and workshops, skills sharing, information stalls, social events, bike rides and Dr Bike, visits to eco-homes and plant growing sites, games, meetings, protests, foraging trips, and healthy eating! These events will promote the positive green policies and practices our society urgently needs to adopt to deal with mounting environmental concerns and climate change. Tens of thousands of leaflets are being distributed to publicise the activities.

Sat/Sun 12th/13th June - ‘Open Weekend Showcases Eco-Renovation in North London’
- As part of the Eco House Weekend, eleven Victorian and Edwardian houses and flats providing examples of good practice in eco-renovation and located in the boroughs of Camden, Haringey, Islington and Hackney will open their doors to the public. All have made substantial progress in cutting their carbon emissions through a variety of measures such as installing new heating systems, fitting double glazing or repairing existing windows, insulating lofts etc. Eco House Weekend is designed to appeal to both house-owners and interested professionals such as architects, surveyors and designers. The houses will be open for varying periods on Saturday 12th June and Sunday 13th June - for details and booking see: www.victeri.co.uk. £10.00 for entrance to all 11 properties will be charged (£20.00 for professionals), and ticketing is on-line and in advance only. The event is organised by VICTERI, an energy efficiency consultancy specialising in the renovation of Victorian and Edwardian terrace houses.
Tues 15th June - 6.30pm: Sustainable Haringey open meeting
- For all who wish to get actively involved in the borough-wide network co-ordinating Haringey Sustainability Month! Over a thousand residents and 50 community organisations have already affiliated. @ Big Green Bookshop, Brampton Park Road, N8. Organised by SH network
Wed 16th June - 7pm-9pm: Build Your Own Bike
- @ Green Lens Studios, 4a Atterbury Road N4 1SF www.greenlenstudios.com Organised by Green Lens Studios
Sat 19th June: Tottenham Festival - visit the green and community stalls / activities
- Music, displays, dance, stalls, marquees, food etc. @ Bruce Castle Park, N17 Organised by Tottenham Festival Committee.

Friday, 30 April 2010

Planning & Development in Haringey- A Residents’ Conference (April 2010)

REPORT

SUMMARY

On April 17th 2010 at Hornsey Vale Community Centre, N8, 40 Haringey residents from many local organisations and groups from all over the borough took part in a residents' conference on planning and development issues. Participants included residents associations, 'friends of parks' groups, conservation societies, local campaigns, environmental organisations, political groups as well as individual residents.** The conference was organised by The Haringey Federation of Residents Associations, supported by Haringey’s Friends of Parks Forum, Sustainable Haringey network, Haringey's Conservation Area Advisory Committees, Tottenham Civic Society and other local community organisations and networks.

The conference had been called to mobilise concerned community groups and residents to influence the borough's planning and development policies - known as the Local Development Framework - currently being re-written. The consultation documents set out very important policy proposals on how the borough will manage issues of housing, climate change, transport, employment, leisure, retail, open space, and design from 2011 to 2026. The documents were about to undergo 6 weeks public consultation from May 10th to June 21st, following which they would be examined at a long and formal public hearing at the Civic Centre, presided over by a Planning Inspector.

Concerns were expressed about over-development and skyscrapers, advertising hoardings, loss of Haringey's heritage and character, threats to some green spaces, the selling off of community facilities and local pubs, and too much traffic. There were strong feelings that what Haringey's communities actually need, but are rarely getting, is genuinely affordable housing, well-designed buildings, good quality local jobs, community-led regeneration, safer, greener and more friendly local streets and better public transport, more green space and allotment sites, protection of public land and community facilities, safeguarding of small independent shops, and the long term sustainability of our society.

In the final session entitled 'Community Involvement and Empowerment In Planning - what we can do as residents', there were riveting and often inspirational presentations from some of the local campaigns around Haringey where local residents are standing up for their communities against unpopular and inappropriate development, and sometimes creating their own alternative community plans for contested sites. These included Alexandra Palace, Wards Corner, Hornsey Town Hall, various local parks, and certain backland sites.

Participants pledged to continue to work together to ensure residents' voices will be heard loud and clear throughout the official consultation, and beyond.

Special webpages have been set up to help as a reference point and to promote communication and co-ordination: www.des-con-hgy.org.uk

DETAILED REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS[Based on notes taken by Colin Marr]

Part 1. Introduction and background

Dave Morris, of the Haringey Federation of Residents Associations, chaired and opened the conference by welcoming participants. He went on to explain why the Local Development Framework (LDF), which replaces the Unitary Development Plan, is important and how in the past property developers (often with support from the council) had managed to exploit it to the detriment of local communities. In the last few years residents groups around Haringey have been increasingly taking up development issues, sharing their experiences and are increasingly aware of the need to speak out loud and clear. The HFRA had held a well-attended seminar about the LDF for over a dozen groups in June 2009 where it had been agreed a more substantial conference was needed.

The main purpose of the conference was:

1. To explain what the LDF is and what is involved2. To outline the key issues what needs to be changed?3. How to respond to ensure we are taken notice of?

Officers from Haringey Council had agreed to attend in order to help participants understand the new and complex LDF procedures, but they had unfortunately been told to pull out at the last minute because of the forthcoming local Council elections. The coming 6 weeks consultation due to start on April 19th had also just been postponed - until May 10th. The revised start date is 10th May up to 21st June. A new schedule provided to the event organisers the day before (by Ciara Whelehan, Team Leader Planning Policy for the Council) explained some of the new LDF consultation timetable, and that in May/June the formal focus would be on the Core Strategy and not on the accompanying, related Development Management Policy document and the Sites Allocation Development Plans document. [See Appendix 1 below - provided to all attendees]. Consultation on the latter documents will be late 2010 - early 2011. The HFRA had been able to get 4 copies of the relevant documents in advance of printing so that the conference could view them.

Dave listed a few key planning questions identified by a pre-meeting of those helping organise the event. Issues included:

- Heritage, and character of neighbourhoods - are we protected, or are we going backwards?- Tall buildings - are residential skyscrapers unacceptable, and if so what policies are needed?- Affordable Housing - is the affordable % of new build homes too low, and in any case are they really ‘affordable’ to those who most need homes?- Sustainability and climate change - this is crucially important, but do the policies impose strict enough conditions on all development?- Open space provision - how do we protect open space of all kinds and ensure the deficiencies are addressed?- Community facilities in local neighbourhoods - what policies would halt the loss of local shops, POs, local pubs, community centres, public land and other amenities etc etc.- Town centres and regeneration - how can we prevent over-development and ensure that commercial interests do not undermine the needs of local communities?- The ‘Sites Allocation’ document maps - need to be carefully scrutinised and specific sites or site boundaries challenged where inappropriate development is being proposed

Lucy Rogers, from Jesus Hospital Estate Residents Association / Columbia Rd E2 Residents Association in Tower Hamlets, spoke about their experiences there with the LDF, where they are further into the process than at Haringey. Tower Hamlets is currently involved with the stage where their LDF is subject to public hearings where the Council has to justify its plans to the Planning Inspector this is the stage beyond setting the core strategy, which is what Haringey is now involved with. Key points from Lucy’s presentation included:

- The public hearings are well attended by well prepared hired reps of property developers they keep an eye on these things to ensure their views are prominent.- ‘Opportunities for growth’ generally means opportunities for developers! Residents need to work out ways to ensure other aspects of policy are strong, so as to resist the developers.- Residents need to work in issue-based groups to submit their statements in a way that questions what the Council is doing beware the Council’s gobbledegook! The Inspector needs to be prompted to ask the council do you really need this particular phrase or policy?- The council’s ‘sustainable community strategy’ is important and should be looked at closely, with a legalistic mind, and try to ensure that the core policies are tightly worded.- To ensure residents have a voice at the public hearings they have to put in their written submission at the core strategy stage (which in Haringey is now).- She praised Haringey’s residents groups for being well organised and co-ordinated compared to Tower Hamlets, and urged everyone to continue to support each other and work together.

Chris Mason, from Hornsey Conservation Area Advisory Committee (CAAC) and chair of the Haringey Joint CAACs, explained the background to the national introduction of the new LDF process, a result of the 2004 Planning Act, which replaces UDPs. Chris’s key points included:

- The LDF includes both strategic ‘core strategies’, and the more detailed day-to-day policies, which are known as “Development Management Policies” (DMPs).- The draft core strategies are in the main glossy document that Haringey is about to put out for consultation - we need to focus on the draft strategies that are in the ‘blue panels’.- The DMPs are in the second, less glossy document, which is incomplete and less well developed.- The concept of democracy in planning has been built into the planning process since the rise of ‘people power’ aspirations and community groups from the 1960s onwards. There is now the need for a ‘Statement of Community Involvement’. This is crucial to the process and there is a ‘Test of Soundness’ to see if the public has been consulted, that the policies are backed by evidence and are effective. [See Appendix 3 below - provided to all attendees].- The LDF is wider in scope than the old UDP and includes other, more social, issues than just physical buildings / land development.- Guidance on the LDF process and issues is on the Joint CAAC website: www.des-con-hgy.org.uk

Part 2. Key issues - discussion groups / workshops, and feedback

Discussion groups were arranged and separate break-out meetings held with the following feedback reports from note takers:

A. Sustainability and response to climate change

Quentin Given’s report included the following points:

- Review of the old UDP revealed weaknesses, e.g. transport policies- Population and economic growth the models used are poorly considered, but dominate current policies- Need to have stronger evidence-base to influence policy decision-making- The high ‘churn-rate’ of people needs to be considered- Friends of the Earth and Sustainable Haringey have been pushing for better policies generally- Should we form a working group to progress this subject area?

B. Transport and street scene

Chris Barker’s report included the following points:

- Overall aims of the policy are good, e.g. promote cycling, walking and public transport- A night time lorry ban is good, but could also go for lighter vehicles for deliveries- Policy to restrict/ban ‘crossovers’ (the turning of front gardens in parking spaces) needs to be tightened it’s not specific enough- 20 mph speed limit should be the ‘default’ for all the borough’s residential streets- Need for more cycle storage, routes and lanes- More mixed residential and commercial development could reduce the need to travel. We need ‘localisation of the economy’- Plus there was a comment (afterwards from the floor): re-activate ex-Mayor Ken Livingstone’s idea of a hierarchy of travel preferences?

C. Open space and community facilities

John Oakes’ report included the following points:

- The policies need to adequately define the deficiency in open space (parks, nature reserves, allotments, playgrounds etc) in areas around Haringey - and policies put in place to ensure such deficiencies are properly addressed by development. Now is the time to lobby for open space protection to be increased by re-designating many sites currently defined as ‘Significant Local Open Land’ to be upgraded to ‘Metropolitan Open Land’- Community facilities (e.g. pubs and community centres) need to be better protected and increased in neighbourhoods.- Section 106 agreements (financial payments and conditions on development) should be more demanding.- There is a need for community audits to ensure community needs are defined and met- Where land is unused pending development there could be a policy promoting the implementation of “meanwhile leases” to encourage temporary community use, e.g. for allotments, community gardens, play areas etc.- Plus there was a comment (afterwards from the floor): Regarding s106 payments, beware big developer’s money being used to persuade the Council to accept otherwise inappropriate development.

D. Housing and development

Joyce Rosser’s report included the following points:

- There is a need to improve social infrastructure (local community facilities and amenities) to support existing residents - growth will put even further stress on infrastructure.- A map in the LDF documents shows that the areas in the east of Haringey are the most heavily stressed, but are still being earmarked for even more dense development- There are currently insufficient resources to provide the community facilities needed- Section 106 agreements need to be strengthened- Properties being taken up as buy-to-let investments is still a problem- Key workers accommodation needs to be better provided for- More affordable homes for poorer families are needed.

E. Design and conservation

Chris Mason’s report included the following points:

- Need to focus on Core Strategies SP10, 11 and 12 in the draft document- SP10 includes a reference to further development at Tottenham Hale, which could hasten the demise of other ‘heritage shopping centres’, such as Tottenham High Road- There are lots of ‘fine words’ that need to be tightened up e.g. references to ‘all new development’, which might better be ‘all development’. [See Appendix 2 below].- The consultation documents are in a muddle over monitoring indicators and other procedural irregularities.

Part 3. Community Involvement and Empowerment In Planning- what can we do as residents?

Practical proposals coming out of the discussions included:

- Working groups communicating over specific subject areas are possible, convened by experienced activists eg Sustainability, Open Spaces, Heritage & Design.- The www.Des-Con-Hgy.org.uk website is a community resource for all LDF information and liaison- Need to look at the maps given in the ‘Sites Allocation’ document to consider and challenge some of the ‘areas for change’ designations - and to identify additional sites all over Haringey to lobby for positive community uses that will otherwise be overlooked- The need for good Guidance Notes on how to make an effective submission - look for this on the Des-Con-HGY site. The Council should be circulating these, but it seems that the draft Haringey advice is poor compared to Camden’s [See Appendix 3 below].- The LDF documents that are being consulted on will shortly be available from the council. All interested groups should try to ensure they obtain copies- We possibly need a further conference or meeting at end of May to review all of this and finalise inputs.- A letter could be sent to the Planning Team seeking to address some of our procedural concerns

The conference ended with brief reports from a few of the many inspirational local campaigns:

- Wards Corner / Seven Sisters: Carlos explained how the Latin American and other market stall holders, local family shops and members of residents associations in the area were working together to challenge the Council’s plans for demolition and evictions, including holding large public meetings, protests and a forthcoming Judicial Review. They have created an alternative Community Plan for renewal and restoration of the site and are applying for planning permission. They have also made a film about their struggle. http://wardscorner.wikispaces.com - Ally Pally: campaigners prevented a property developer from buying the site. The issue of governance of the Park and Palace is still being debated with the possibility of it eventually being taken over from the Council by an independent trust. www.saveallypally.com - Backlands development: report of a 10yr long residents’ battle to prevent property developer Paul Simon building on a backland site in Crouch End www.greenn8.org.uk/campaigns- Hornsey Town Hall: local campaigners had campaigned successfully to save the Town Hall, but there are continuing controversies eg over the lack of a cinema, and the council promoting some private residential development on the site to pay for conservation of the main building. www.crouchendforpeople.org/index- Tottenham Hale: local residents groups formed an alliance to influence the massive development proposed in the area. Some of the plans have been put on hold by the recession, but may soon re-emerge. www.webjam.com/ferry_lane_action_group- Lordship Rec: The Friends group have spent 6 years lobbying for the community-led regeneration of a neglected park, and in partnership with the Council are on the verge of implementing £7m of improvements (depending on a successful lottery bid). There are many examples of other Friends Groups also improving their parks. www.lordshiprec.org.uk

The closing message from the Chair was that residents want to ensure that the policies which are meant to protect the interests of communities need to strengthened and enforced, and that other policies favouring developers should be changed. Those who live and work in Haringey should have the maximum possible say over planning and development policies and practices that affect our lives, our communities and our neighbourhoods. As the Council prepares to consult over these matters let’s call on everyone to raise their voices, together.

Notes by CM, 21 April 2010

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Appendix 1

The next stages / timetable of the Core Strategy

1. Public consultation on the proposed submission: 10th May 21st June 20102. Analyse representations received from consultation and prepare for Submission: June August 20103. Report to Cabinet: September 20104. Report to Full Council: October 20105. Submit Core Strategy to the Secretary of State: October 20106. Pre-Examination Hearing: Nov/Dec 2010 (this meeting will be held in the borough, the Inspector and Programme Officer attend setting out the programme for the Examination. Consultees can also attend)7. Examination: January 2011 (to be confirmed)8. Adoption: March/April 2011 (approx)

Please note that the timetable dates from point 6 onwards have yet to be confirmed. Once we submit the Core Strategy to the Secretary of State it is in the hands of the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), and they decide when the Pre-examination meeting and Examination takes place. Depending on the number of representations received will determine how long the Examination lasts. We normally allow 6 months from the time of submission to adoption which means March 2011 for adoption.Important note: Regarding the Sites and Development Management policy documents, these are at the very first stage of consultation. A second round of consultation on these will take place later this year / early 2011.

Ciara Whelehan - LBH Team LeaderPlanning Policy

Appendix 2

It is very important to understand the jargon and the words used in drafting management plans. An explanation, what to look out for, and what to propose in its place can be found at: www.des-con-hgy.org.uk Click on ‘Local Development Framework’ then scroll down to grey link: Policy drafting notes.

Soundness is explained fully in Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Spatial Planning in paragraphs 4.36 4.47, 4.51 and 5.52 and the boxed text [2]. The Inspector has to be satisfied that the document is justified, effective and consistent with national policy.

To be sound an LDF document should be:

• Justified This means that the document should be founded on a robust and credible evidence base involving:o Evidence of participation of the local community and others having a stake in the areao Research/fact finding: the choices made in the plan are backed up by facts

The document should also provide the most appropriate strategy when considered against reasonable alternatives. These alternatives should be realistic and subject to sustainability appraisal. The document should show how the policies and proposals help to ensure that the social, environmental, economic and resource use objectives of sustainability will be achieved.

• Effective This means the document should be deliverable, embracing:o Sound infrastructure delivery planningo Having no regulatory or national planning barriers to deliveryo Delivery partners who are signed up to ito Coherence with the strategies of neighbouring authorities

The document should also be flexible and able to be monitored.

The document should indicate who is to be responsible for making sure that the policies and proposals happen and when they will happen.The LDF documents should be flexible to deal with changing circumstances, which may involve minor changes to respond to the outcome of the monitoring process or more significant changes to respond to problems such as lack of funding for major infrastructure proposals. Although it is important that policies are flexible, the document should make clear that major changes may require a formal review including public consultation.Any measures which we have included to make sure that targets are met should be clearly linked to an Annual Monitoring Report. This report must be produced each year by all local authorities and will show whether the document needs amendment.

• Consistent with national policy The document should be consistent with national policy. Where there is a departure, we must provide clear and convincing reasoning to justify our approach. Conversely, you may feel we should include a policy or policies which would depart from national or regional policy to some degree in order to meet a clearly identified and fully justified local need, but we have not done so. In this instance it will be important for you to say in your representations what the local circumstances are that justify a different policy approach to that in national or regional policy and support your assertion with evidence.

If you think the content of a document is not sound because it does not include a policy where it should do, you should go through the following steps before making representations:

Is the issue with which you are concerned already covered specifically by any national planning policy or in the London Plan? If so it does not need to be included.Is what you are concerned with covered by any other policies in the document on which you are seeking to make representations or in any other document in Camden’s Local Development Framework (LDF). There is no need for repetition between documents in the LDF.If the policy is not covered elsewhere, in what way is the document unsound without the policy?If the document is unsound without the policy, what should the policy say?

Legal Compliance Consider the following before making a representation on legal compliance (as set out in s20(5)(a) of the 2004 Act):

The document in question should be within the Council’s current Local Development Scheme (LDS) and the key stages should have been followed. The LDS is effectively a programme of work which sets out the documents we propose to produce for the Local Development Framework over a 3 year period. It sets out the key stages in the production of any documents which we propose to bring forward for independent examination. If the document is not in the current LDS it should not have been published for representations. The LDS is available on our website www.camden.gov.uk/ldf

The process of community involvement for the document in question should be in general accordance with the our Statement of Community Involvement. The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out our strategy for involving the community in the preparation and revision of LDF documents and the consideration of planning applications.

The document should comply with the Town and County Planning (Local Development) (England Regulations) 2004 (as amended) [3]. On publication, we must publish the documents prescribed in the regulations, and make them available at our principal offices and on our website. We must also place a local advertisement and notify the specific bodies (as set out in the regulations) and any persons who have requested to be notified.

We are required to provide a Sustainability Appraisal Report when they publish a document. This should identify the process by which the Sustainability Appraisal has been carried out, and the baseline information used to inform the process and the outcomes of that process. Sustainability Appraisal is a tool for appraising policies to ensure they reflect social, environmental, and economic factors.

The document should have regard to national policy and conform generally to the London Plan. The London Plan sets out the region’s policies in relation to the development and use of land and forms part of our development plan.

The document must have regard to the Sustainable Community Strategy.

Further detailed guidance on the preparation, publication and examination of LDF documents is provided in PPS12 and in The Plan Making Manual [4].

How to set out consultation responses - Camden’s Guidance

Question 1 Please indicate which document your representation relates to either the Core Strategy or the Development Policies. The Core Strategy and the Development Policies documents will be examined separately, so please do not combine your comments. Question 2 Please indicate which part of the document your representation refers to. You are required to fill in this section, whether your representation is in support of the document or not.Question 3 To answer this question, you first need to decide whether the document is ‘sound’ or legally compliant (see sections 4 and 5 of this note for more information).Question 4 If you consider the document unsound, please tick the option(s) to which your representation relates.Question 5 Please give as much detailed information as possible regarding the reason why you think the document is unsound or not legally compliant. You should try to support your representation by evidence showing why the document should be changed. It will be helpful if you also say precisely how you think the document should be changed. Representations should cover succinctly all the information, evidence and supporting information necessary to support/justify the representation and the suggested change, as there will not be a subsequent opportunity to make further representations. After this consultation, further submissions will be only at the request of the Inspector, based on the matters and issues he/she identifies for examination.Question 6 Please provide details of what change(s) you consider necessary to make the document legally compliant or sound, having regard to the option you have identified in question 4 where this relates to soundness and the reasons provided in your answer to question 5. If possible please provide your suggested revised wording of the identified section in a concise manner to help the Council review and respond to your suggested alteration(s).Question 7 Please indicate how you would like your representation be dealt with at the independent examination, i.e. by written representations or by exercising the right to attend and be heard. Written or oral participants will be given the same weight. The appointed independent inspector will determine the procedure to be adopted at the examination. The procedures by which the inspector can consider representations are by: Written representations, Round table discussions, Informal hearing sessions or Formal hearing sessionsQuestion 8 Please justify why you believe it is important to participate at the oral part of the examination.

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